(TRENTON) – Legislation Assemblyman Bob Andrzejczak (D-Cape May, Atlantic, Cumberland) and Daniel Benson (D-Mercer, Middlesex) sponsored to encourage students to help honor or assist veterans and active duty members of the Armed Forces or National Guard was recently approved by an Assembly panel.
The bill (A-4148) would provide an excused absence on Veterans Day for any student who participates in activities for veterans or active duty members. Activities could include attending a ceremony honoring a veteran or active member returning from overseas deployment, or assisting a veteran at a hospital or food shelter.
“Attending a ceremony honoring a veteran or active duty member, or helping a veteran at a hospital or food shelter, has immeasurable educational value,” said Andrzejczak, who was a sergeant in the United States Army and was injured during a deployment to Iraq. “Students can learn tremendously from our veterans and active duty members, all of whom have so much to teach about service to our nation, personal commitment or history, among the many, many possibilities.”
The student would have the absence recorded by the school district as excused upon providing documentation of participation in the activity.
“We should encourage students to participate in community service activities,” said Benson. “Engaging with veterans and active duty military will provide them with real-life lessons and an insight into valuable experiences that will eventually be a part of America’s history.”
The bill was approved by the Assembly Military and Veteran Affairs Committee on March 19.